


The Troubled Life Of A Clean-Freak Omega

by Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha!Eren, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Consent, Eventual Smut, Knotting, Knotting Dildos, Laundry, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) and Cleaning, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega!Levi, Omegaverse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Knotting, Rutting, Scent Marking, Scenting, Self-Lubrication, Tall Eren Yeager, all the laundry, chosen mates, copious amounts of snark, ideal omegaverse society, not a soulmates au, pre-heat, pre-heat cycle, pre-heat symptoms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-07-24 14:20:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7511611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house/pseuds/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story involving Levi and all of the problems of being an Omega who is highly put off by bad hygiene and generally enjoys being clean.</p><p>Featuring his cheeky, Alpha boyfriend: Eren.</p><p>Derps and shenanigans, guys. Just derps and shenanigans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the omegaverse idea I've been working on for a while now. I'm still working out the kinks and plotting but here's a first chapter for you to get the general flavour of what's going to be going down here.
> 
> Un-beta'd as yet.

Levi frowned at the array of coloured cans that lined the shelves, letting out a sudden huff of frustration.

“I hate this.” He stated, crossing his arms at the sound of footsteps padding over to him.

“What’s wrong? Just pick one.” Eren’s hand reached past the raven’s shoulder, picking up one of the more fragrant scent-masking deodorants from the shelf. “How about this one?”

Levi took the can, squinting at the tiny font explaining usage and storage conditions.

_Recommended for in-heat use._

_Unmated Omegas only._

_Scent-masking ingredients WILL cause irritation to any Alphas in the near vicinity._

_This product is NOT recommended for mated Omegas._

The raven gave a snort and turned the can so that the words were facing the Alpha.

“Are you trying to put yourself in a foul mood?”

Eren squinted at the writing, giving a quiet huff of a laugh. “See, this is why you’re in charge of this sort of thing.”

Levi nodded, smirking as he returned the can to its proper place and looked for something that wouldn’t make his Alpha rowdy. A lot of products for unmated Omegas were designed to help mask their heats or ease them through it when an Omega was unready or unwilling to seek out a partner at that point in their lives. For those kinds of products, an additional feature of Alpha repelling scent as an added form of protection.

That feature happened to be in quite a few of the products Levi was seeing on the shelves. The last thing the raven needed was a disgruntled Alpha, especially this close to his heat.

At least one of them noticed these things.

Pulling down one of the cans from a lower shelf, Levi scanned over the label and the writing on the back. Satisfied with what he found, the raven presented the can to his hovering Alpha.

“There.” He held the can up for Eren to read, biting back a smirk when the brunet had to stoop a little. “See? This one just dilutes the scent; there’s no overpowering smell trying to cover it up.”

Eren stared at the description on the can like it was some kind of intruder into his life for a few seconds before giving a disinterested sniff. He shrugged.

“That’ll have to do.”

Levi gave a snort at the Alpha’s expression – an almost moody kind of pout. Eren wanted to get out of there, get back to their home so that Levi could start to nest if he felt like it. The Omega could smell the possessive scent rolling off of his Alpha, laced with the barest hints of aggression. Levi wanted to go home just as much as the agitated dominant did, probably more so, but they weren’t done.

“It’ll be fine.” He said to assure Eren and to pull himself from his own busying thoughts.

Levi didn’t want to deal with a territorial Alpha in the middle of a store and was quick to step closer to Eren. Pressed himself close, tilted his face up for a kiss that his Alpha was more than willing to give him. Pre-heat pheromones were an advantage that Levi was easily willing to use to bring his Alpha’s attention away from listening for potential threats and back to focusing on his mate.

And it worked. Eren responded to Levi’s proximity, his body curling around the Omega’s to keep him shielded. The Alpha sniffed, nose ghosting over Levi’s throat to monitor any change in his pheromones.

“We got the air-freshener for in-heat use, right?” Levi asked, catching Eren in time to stop him from scent marking him in earnest.

The brunet huffed, standing straight once more. “Yeah, it’s in the basket.” Eren nodded to confirm. “I grabbed two cans.”

“Good.” Levi pulled away again and started pottering down the aisle again. He heard the quiet steps of his Alpha following a half-second later and it eased his brief worry.

The Omega dynamic was well known for being the most susceptible to instinctual influence and Levi was very familiar with the inconvenience of his dynamic. It had its perks – an Omega could easily calm a rowdy Alpha under the right circumstances and dominants unused to an Omegan yelp could be easily startled enough to get away from – but for the most part Levi found himself wishing that he was a Beta. Something simple, predictable.

People called Betas boring just because they had no heat or rut or overabundance of animalistic instinct to worry about, but that was just it – most of them did not have to worry. At least that was Levi’s opinion. He knew that Betas had their own problems. While Levi wished he didn’t have to worry about his heats so that he could hold a full-time job without inconveniencing anyone, he’d heard more than one Beta complain about Omegas having so much work leave. Some vocations demanded that any Omegan employees took suppressants; it became a requirement of the work so that all employees could be treated more equally.

In some ways, Levi supposed, that was actually kind of fair. But not all Omegas chose to suppress and even those that did couldn’t keep it up forever without risking the chance of becoming sterile.

Levi had thought about children a lot more than a younger version of himself would have expected. He didn’t think he really wanted any but then any thought of… _not_ being able to bear young… _at all_. It was one of the most frightening thoughts the raven had ever had and he knew it was the Omega in him panicking. After all, what Alpha would want an Omega that could not provide a family? Stupid as the thought was, stupid as Levi _knew_ it was, that fear would never leave him.

“Hey.”

Levi looked up, realising that he had stopped before reaching the end of the aisle. Eren was beside him, crowding close, and Levi had half a mind to tell him to back his shit up before he noticed the strange scent in the air.

It was his own. Anxiety. Worry.

He hadn’t meant to get so worked up.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like the air freshener? I can go back and find another kind-”

“No, no, it’s-” Levi frowned, cutting himself off as he focused on reigning in his scent before the distressed smell could spread too far, “it’s fine. It’s good.” It was good, it would be fine, and Levi just needed to stop with all the thinking before he made himself upset. “It’ll need to be sprayed once in the morning and again before we go to sleep, otherwise the whole neighbourhood will smell me.”

“We can’t have that.”

Eren growled out a quiet sound, reaching over to pull the raven against his side.

Levi stumbled at the unexpected tug, his hands landing on the brunet’s chest for support, but he didn’t try to stop Eren from bringing their throats together for a moment.

It was quick, rough affection, and the raven let out a quiet bleat of mortification at his body’s reaction – the glands on either side of his neck suddenly wet with scent, both his and Eren’s. The embarrassed noises stuttered into a quiet, thrumming purr.

“I’ll be right back; I’m going to get a third can.” The Alpha rumbled by Levi’s ear, pulling back from the now-purring Omega once their scents were nicely mingled.

And he smiled, all wide and beaming like he hadn’t just made Levi weak in the knees, and sauntered off with a little spring in his step.

Levi swallowed, watching the brunet round the end of the aisle. In his absence Levi quickly got his spontaneous purring to quieten and cease, feeling embarrassed heat blooming on his cheeks.

Shit, the things that stupid mutt did to him. Ridiculous as he could be, persistent and annoying as that shitty Alpha could be, he made Levi feel things that he hadn’t expected he’d ever feel.

A small part of the raven had resented Eren for that…for making him feel. He’d been perfectly happy fretting about his existence all by himself, working his way through life’s mundane rituals – go to school, get a job, let it kill you.

And then in pranced Eren Jaeger. The great clout had just about scared the life right out of Levi that first night that they had met. Then again, Levi suspected he’d given the Alpha quite the shock too.

But that was another story.

Levi Ackerman was moving in with his Alpha and boyfriend of the past year and a half. That was the cause of most of the current hullabaloo, the rest being Levi’s impending heat.

The actual _moving_ part had been over and done with for a week now. All of Levi’s possessions, and those had been limited to begin with, were either sold or sitting at Eren’s place. The Omega had yet to find the right places for his things among Eren’s. That didn’t bother him so much; he’d been to the Alpha’s house plenty of times before as they dated, he just hadn’t ever considered…where he would fit in.

And now the pair of mates found themselves wandering through a specialised store, looking through aisles with Omega-specific products.

The raven’s heat would be coming along in the next week and both males wanted to be prepared. Well…Levi wanted to be prepared. It was going to be his first heat in a new home and even though they had scheduled the move around his heat for the express reason of having him imprint upon the new place, the raven was not looking forward to it. He already missed the familiarity of his shitty little apartment, if only for the fact that he’d had everything he’d needed there. Now he had to go out and gather new supplies, make sure he had all his meds – suppressants for the coming months where he’d have to go back to work, birth control, nutrient supplements for taking throughout his heat, gel to help with his cramps. There seemed to be endless things that they still had to buy and all Levi wanted to do was go home.

His new home. He wanted to go there and stay there with Eren until it actually felt like a home. Their home.

Levi had been going there as a guest, as a visitor, for so long. It had always felt welcoming, more so than his tiny flat ever would, no matter how familiar it had been. Eren’s home actually felt like a home, like somewhere one could actually raise a family.

And there he went with those worrying thoughts again.

Someone rounded the end of the aisle and Levi stiffened for a split second until he recognised his Alpha. He always managed to arrive right as Levi was about to lose his shit. Overthinking, bringing himself to doubt and worry and ruin even the simplest of moments…and who would have known that the cure for all that came in the form of one great, big, living distraction. Eren Jaeger, Alpha and Levi’s chosen mate. God help him. The big twerp came trotting back up to him like some goofy dog approaching its master and Levi would have laughed at the imagery if he wasn’t so busy fretting over the days to come.

What if he couldn’t settle in their new home? What if they didn’t have the necessary things for him to make a suitable nest through his heat days and he freaked out? What if _Eren_ freaked out?

The brunet slowed as he got nearer, not even needing to scent the air to detect Levi’s worry, and he frowned for a moment before letting go of a sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Eren smiled a crooked smile at the raven when Levi frowned back at him in silence. “You’ve got that look. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be alright.” The Alpha stepped in close, brought up a hand to cup one side of the Omega’s face, all but whispering his next words. “ _We’ll_ be alright.”

Stupid Alpha with his stupid, comforting words coming along at just the right moment. Levi huffed out a breath so harsh it was almost a hiss and he leaned forward, knowing Eren would catch him. He was right, as always, and an arm drew him against the warm safety of Eren’s chest.

Someone walked by, rather quickly upon noticing the display, but neither of the two mates moved. Eren refused to budge until his Omega was calmed and Levi…well Levi just wanted to sit down in the sun with a cup of tea and forget that troubles were a thing that existed.

Levi exhaled and he sounded tired already without even having done anything. Well, not anything besides his mini panic attacks. Overthinking could be a real bitch.

“We’re going to forget something and everything will go to shit.” The raven muttered against Eren’s chest.

He could feel the Alpha’s warmth, feel the steady beat of his pulse, and he could also feel the knowing sigh that Eren let out at his words.

“We’re not going to forget anything.” Eren said, quiet and right by Levi’s ear. “We’re not going to forget anything because you’re so thorough. If anything we’ll overcompensate.”

He sounded so fond, like all of Levi’s worrying and overcomplicating things wasn’t crazy or annoying or completely unnecessary. It was confusing…being accepted by someone despite all your oddities. Surprisingly enough, thinking about Eren getting sick of him and leaving didn’t make Eren get sick of him and leave. Even talking about it didn’t seem to bother the Alpha. And Levi realised it was just him. Freaking out. And Eren was his rock. Would be his rock for as long as Levi needed him and then even longer than that.

The raven realised his breathing was getting shaky and he closed his eyes.

“I just want to go home.” The Omega confessed.

“We can go. Say the word; we can go right now if you want.”

 _Too good for me_ , Levi thought. He reprimanded himself a second later. Eren wasn’t too good for him. Eren was exactly what he needed, even if he seemed far too good to be with someone like Levi.

Levi was already getting jumping from pre-heat symptoms and the spiking anxiety from the Omega was making Eren’s protective instincts surge up in response to the raven’s insecurity. It was an honest challenge not to bare his teeth at other customers when they passed by in the same aisle. It wasn’t like they were doing anything, just walking and looking for products like any shopper would, but every time someone came into the same aisle as them Levi would sidle up to Eren, putting the Alpha between him and the newcomers without even being aware that he was doing so. Eren was more than aware, however, and moved with the Omega, keeping Levi shielded from attacks that wouldn’t have come anyway.

Christ, they were so uncivilised when this time of month came around.

“This sucks.” Levi growled out his frustration, stepping back and pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes for a moment. He dropped his hands. “Okay, shit, focus. What’s still on the list? What haven’t we got?”

Eren looked at him with an expression somewhere between wryness and suspicion. The Alpha in him knew that his Omega was unsettled and they should be doing something about that. But Eren knew that Levi wasn’t going to go anywhere unless he felt like they had done everything they’d set out to do for the day.

So he didn’t press or pry, just checked their basket, eyeing the items in the red plastic container hanging from his arm. He listed the names of things aloud as he saw them.

“We’ve already picked new towels, some standard painkillers, up scent patches to soak when we get home, and there are a couple of packets of disinfectant wipes for quick clean-up. I grabbed some lotion for aftercare-”

“I said what _don’t_ we have?”

Eren blinked at the smaller male, rolling his weight onto one foot. “You’ve got the list, Levi.”

Levi blinked back at him. He cursed. “Fuck, I do.”

“It’s alright.”

The raven scowled, digging around in his pockets for the little rectangle of paper that had their list of errands to run for the day, including what they needed to pick up at each of the stores they would be visiting.

“Waterproof mattress protector.” Levi read aloud once he had the paper in hand, ignoring the wide-eyed look it earned him from a pair of passing Betas. The raven glanced up. “The fitted ones are better than the tie-downs.”

Eren nodded, conceding to his mate’s wishes. “That’s not this aisle, let’s go.”

 

The door to Eren’s company car slammed forcefully enough that the Alpha winced a little, glancing at the Omega responsible out of the corner of his eye.

“All good?” Eren asked, fishing out his keys with one hand as he closed his own door with much less force than Levi had done.

“Yes.”

The cashier had made the mistake of bringing up the large amount of heat-related products that the couple had been buying. They hadn’t meant anything by it. Eren knew they hadn’t meant anything by it and he had a strong feeling that Levi knew it too. But despite all that the raven had immediately closed off and gone into a state of vehement and yet completely non-verbal defense.

For a man who liked to speak his mind, especially when he was pissed off about something, Levi could be terrifying in his moments of silence. And he was very cagey about any and all things heat-related. It was, as he said, “no one’s goddamn business but his own” and even Eren had to spend months pacifying the raven before they could even speak about heat or rut or the possibility of sharing one.

By now they had shared several, although their cycles had yet to sync up. It might not ever happen but Levi lived in hope – there would be a lot less cleaning up to worry about if they could go through their cycles at the same time.

“All set to go to the next place?” Eren encouraged, waiting for Levi’s say so before he started the car.

It was best to let any ranting happen before they were trapped in a moving vehicle.

Levi opened his mouth as if to speak before pausing. He frowned. Opened his mouth again and this time he did speak.

“Shit.”

Eren raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

The raven ran one hand over his face, groaning out a sound of exasperation, and he kept his fingers cupped over his eyes as he spoke.

“Did you grab pads?” Levi asked.

The moment of silence that followed was too long to be anything other than a ‘no’.

“I thought you were going to get them.” Eren said.

Levi let out a hiss of frustration, smacking an open palm against his knee. “I knew we would fucking forget something. I fucking knew it-”

Eren leaned across quickly, sliding one, big hand over the raven’s nape. His grip tightened almost immediately and Eren didn’t let up until Levi stiffened and then relaxed under his touch. Loosening his grip, the Alpha ran his thumb over Levi’s skin.

“No big deal;” he said, voice quiet and reassuring, “I’ll dash back in and get some.”

Levi heaved a sigh, leaning into Eren’s hand before the Alpha pulled away again. He knew he was being ridiculous and Eren’s silence was obviously an opportunity for him to speak up and say that he was going back in there with the brunet.

Instead Levi grumbled. “That nosy Omega better not get any ideas.”

Eren frowned for a second before recalling the cashier. He sighed. “Even if she did, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Levi huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling out the front windshield.

“I know.” He said.

“Levi.”

“I know, I know.” The Omega muttered, uncrossing his arms and running both hands through his hair with a huffed breath. “I’m being ridiculous-”

“Levi, come _here_.”

The raven turned his head, eyes narrowed in confusion, mouth open to question Eren, but when he saw the brunet his words evaporated. The Alpha had his head tilted to expose his throat, maintaining eye contact with the Omega and inviting him to come closer.

“No one’s going to get any ideas if all they can smell throughout the store is your scent mixed with mine. Come on. It’ll make you feel better.”

It would make him feel better, Levi knew it would, and the Omega was moving without a word. Levi purred in the quiet of the car, stretching over to be able to reach Eren in the driver’s seat and mark the Alpha up with his scent. He was halfway over the centre console trying to get into an easier position to get his skin on Eren’s, pulling the brunet closer to him.

“Easy, babe.” Eren smirked, letting Levi move him how he wanted.

“Don’t give me that.” Levi growled.

Eren met him for a brief, firm kiss, and the brunet grinned off to one side when Levi immediately shoved his head away to expose his throat again.

Eren was right; if any curious individuals got any funny ideas about trying to court his Alpha, they would think twice when they smelled the unmistakable scent of a territorial Omega. And if that wasn’t enough to drive away potential threats, Levi would have no qualms fighting off any challengers himself. If he could wrestle this big brute of an Alpha then a few scrawny Betas or Omegas would be a piece of cake.

“Levi..?” Eren said on a soft laugh, the sound bringing the raven back to the present.

He wondered when he’d started biting the Alpha’s throat. That was probably a little too far for a public parking lot. Pulling back with an embarrassed cough, the Omega settled in his seat and stared resolutely out of the windshield.

In his periphery Levi saw Eren bring a hand up to his throat, giving a barely audible hum.

“I’ll be right back.” Eren said after a moment and while Levi could hear the amusement in his tone he was glad that the brunet hadn’t said anything about the Omega’s sudden, possessive behaviour.

Levi was having a hard enough time trying to will away the flush on his cheeks at the thought of Eren walking back into the supermarket sporting fresh teeth marks. At least he hadn’t gotten so carried away as to break the skin. He wouldn’t want to give anyone the impression that he was an abusive Omega. It would be especially bad if that chatty little Omega cashier caught sight of any markings and started trying to load Eren up with sympathy. Trying to whisk the Alpha away from his terrible, vicious little mate.

And now he was stinking up the car with aggression-laced pheromones. Just fucking perfect.

It didn’t take Eren more than five minutes to get both in and out of the store. By the time the Alpha got himself back to the car, Levi knew his scent was still stronger than it should be. He’d tried to calm down.

It was harder than expected.

“Got ‘em.” Eren called through the door as he tugged it open.

Levi looked up, sniffing the air suspiciously. When he could detect no trace of scent apart from his own on the Alpha, Levi turned his eyes on the plastic bag Eren was tossing over onto the backseat.

“The super?” He asked.

“Of course.” Eren nodded, giving a little shrug like it was nothing for him to know the difference between light and heavy slick pads.

Freaking miracle Alpha in the flesh.

“Thank God,” Levi breathed a sigh of relief, slumping forwards to kiss the brunet, “you’re not a total loss after all.” He teased.

“I’ve been well-trained.” Eren joked, grinning against the Omega’s mouth.

He kissed Levi again, two quick pecks, and the raven hummed his happiness. He rocked backwards into his seat again, shaking his head to clear it.

“Let’s go; we need to get to the chemist before it shuts.” Levi said, reaching for his seatbelt to fasten it.

Eren nodded, the motion visible in the Omega’s periphery. “Do you have your prescription with you?” The Alpha asked.

Levi nodded twice. “Mmhm.”

“Off we go, then.”

 

Eren moseyed about in the adult section while Levi discussed the refill of his birth control pills over the counter. The raven had been taking smaller and smaller doses, not wanting to risk becoming infertile when he still hadn’t decided if he wanted a family one day. He was an Omega so there was a natural desire to procreate and nurture, but pups were a lot of work and Levi still hadn’t made up his mind about them yet. Eren was patient enough to give the Omega the time he needed, although his inner Alpha bristled at the thought of being denied, even in such a passive manner. He still got to mate Levi and care for him throughout his heat each month, but it saddened the Alpha to know that their efforts would amount to nothing while Levi was on his birth control medication.

Still, it was Levi’s choice and Eren wouldn’t dream of ordering his mate to do something that didn’t feel right. Even if he did, Levi would probably just head-butt him in the crotch for being a controlling fuckward.

In the meantime, the Alpha distracted himself from his thoughts by walking up and down the aisles with various adult toys lining the shelves. He was amusing himself than distracting himself, really. Eren had to resist actually picking up one of the silicone samples and waving it around.

Levi would probably be able to sense his tomfoolery and come flying out of nowhere to kick his ass.

“What are you doing over here?” Levi’s voice sounded to his right, his tone unamused.

Speak of the devil. Eren turned towards the sound of Levi’s voice, grinning down at the raven. Levi held a little, white paper bag in his hand, fingers curled over where the opening had been folded down and taped closed.

He had his new meds which meant they could go. But Eren couldn’t resist a chance to tease. He glanced from Levi to the shelves near them, running a finger along the highest tier.

“I was just admiring the knotted dildos.” Eren said in as innocent a tone as he could manage.

He didn’t even try to keep a straight face, grinning with his tongue held between his teeth while Levi rolled his eyes at the comment. The raven was already pushing past the Alpha to head for the door.

“Very funny.” Levi muttered, not pausing in his stride. “Come on, you big dope.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to take a look?” Eren called after him. “The inflatable ones are actually pretty affordable.”

The Omega stopped at that, turning with ice in his gaze.

“One more word and you’ll be getting one in the sack, you shit.” Levi growled, watching Eren give a protesting whine and cover his groin with one hand to pre-emptively protect his junk. “Go to the car.”

Eren mock-sulked all the way there, head hanging in some mopey display. Levi kicked him in the back of the knees to get him moving faster.

“You’re a piece of shit, you know that?” Levi said to a snickering Eren as they rounded the car to get to their respective sides.

He glowered at the brunet as he climbed into the driver’s seat, casting playful glances the raven’s way.

“Sorry, sorry.” Eren said between bouts of snickering. “I was just curious.”

Levi narrowed his eyes at the brunet. “Curious?” He repeated. “About those? What, are you keen on shoving a swollen dick up your ass?”

The statement was deadpanned and Eren made a face at the implication. Levi couldn’t help but to smirk at his discomfort.

“I thought that was your specialty?” The Alpha shot back, squirming briefly in his seat.

Levi had to remember to make more anal jibes if it would get Eren to shut up about stupid things.

“It is.” He said, relenting for the moment. Levi just wanted to get home after a long day and he tried to make that known. “So shut up about those freaky sex gadgets. The only knot I need isn’t made of fucking silicone. It just so happens to be attached to this big idiot I’m dating.”

Eren blinked over at him, quiet for a moment. And then-

“You do realise you just said ‘fucking silicone’ about an object that sole purpose is for fucking, right?” Eren said.

Levi rolled his eyes hard enough that it almost hurt him. He let out a single bark of laughter, shaking his head at the laughing brunet.

“Why do I put up with you?” The raven asked.

“Because you _love_ me.” Eren cooed, drawing out the ‘o’ sound.

He leaned over towards Levi as he spoke, grinning that shit-eating grin of his.

Levi shoved his face away with a scoff, settling back in his seat.

“Just drive, knothead.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some domestic ereri and needy sofa smut.  
> Un-beta'd DX forgive me <3

“I’ll need at least three cups of tea before I’ll forget the look on her face.”

It was just the barest hint of a scent, but Levi could smell that giggly cashier on Eren. He stomped up the driveway fully aware of how ridiculous a tiny, mid-tantrum Omega must look to the few people walking about up and down the street. He reached the door before remembering that Eren had the keys and was forced to wait for the Alpha to make a considerably slower journey up the driveway.

Clever Alpha, giving Levi time to cool off from the worst of his temper. It was a futile effort. Maybe at another time, any other time, Levi might not have even cared that some other Omega looked Eren’s way. But she had also smiled too much and kept on with that stupid, bubbly little giggle, and batted her false eyelashes at Eren and-

Levi ran a hand over his face and groaned. It was at times like this that he really hated being an Omega. If the cashier had been a Beta then maybe…no, no Levi was sure he’d still be pissed. But the fact that some strange Omega was putting out even a little bit of effort to charm _his_ Alpha _in Levi’s presence…_

He was territorial enough as it was.

Looking up, Levi wasn’t sure what expression he was wearing but the look on Eren’s face told him it wasn’t a friendly on.

He wondered if it was his not-so-subtly-plotting-murder face.

“It wasn’t that bad, Levi.” Eren started to say and Levi was sure that, yes, his murder-y face was out. “She was just being friendly.”

Eren made for the door, breezing past the fuming Omega like he wasn’t being glared at like the next victim of an abduction.

“Friendly?” Levi muttered, voice quiet in the way it only got when he was putting in effort not to shout.

With a nod of agreement, Eren repeated the word. “Friendly.”

He must have been oblivious to Levi’s quiet rage, or maybe the Alpha was just used to his moods by now – which was in itself a strange thought – because the brunet didn’t so much as flinch when he opened the door and turned to gesture for the Omega to enter first.

Levi’s ‘I’m mentally planning how your death would play out’ face had been described on more than one occasion as a thing of nightmares. His face, usually impassive or various forms of irritated, was oddly expressive in these quiet moments of hormone-driven anger. The usually thoughtful eyes were suddenly wide and considering in all the wrong ways. Thin eyebrows lost their customary furrow in favour of smoothing out and raising just slightly, adding a tone of incredulity to Levi’s expression.

A sort of furious disbelief. That’s what it looked like. Sort of like the raven was surprised that anyone would be stupid enough to make him mad enough to aim such a look their way.

“Could you not smell her?” To say Levi’s tone was venomous would have been an understatement.

Eren’s eyes narrowed, not at the comment but at the challenging way Levi held his gaze. An impossible reaction to hide. The Alpha inhaled. Exhaled. Looked away.

“I could smell her,” he said, keeping his gaze on the ground and reaching over with one hand to coax Levi forward and into the house, “but it’s not _her_ scent that I’m worried about.”

Levi sneered, moving at last, and the air around them stirred up with the smell of territorial Omega.

Their neighbours would be wondering what the hell had happened. The whole damned street would probably be able to smell Levi’s discontent if he kept it up.

“You don’t need to worry about me.” The raven muttered on his way through the hallway to the kitchen. “I’ll be fine once I get my hands around that bitch’s scrawny neck.”

Eren had the gall to scoff, following after Levi through the hall. The tell-tale creak of the kitchen doorway sounded and turning, Levi confirmed that the Alpha had leaned against the doorframe.

“You’ll have to drive yourself all the way back to the store.” Eren said through a smile.

Well at least one of them was amused by the situation. Levi was sure that he would look back on this one day and…well, not laugh. Maybe he’d look back on it with less of a frown, but he didn’t hold out hopes.

“And if I did?” Levi tested, watching to see if Eren would respond to his obvious challenge to his authority. “Think you could stop me?”

There was a flickering of something in Eren’s eyes but Levi’s Alpha knew him too well. Any instinctual indignation on the brunet’s part was easily overridden by how long they’ve known each other and how well. It was the latter that held the most sway, Levi suspected, because he had only known Eren Jaeger for a short number of years and yet this Alpha knew him, the patterns and habits, the most vulnerable moments that made him who he was.

Few people know that much about anyone, the dark little thoughts of personal failures and insecurities.

Levi couldn’t remember why he’d let this mutt get so close. He figured it probably had something to do with the countless moments that Eren had gone and proven that not everyone couldn’t handle unpleasant truths. That not everyone was ready to judge at the slightest flaw or turn tail and run at the first sign of trouble.

Eren was…odd. He put up with…everything. Too much. All of Levi’s moods and even petty tantrums like this, although thank fuck these only happened during pre-heat symptoms.

Here Levi stood, just some skinny Omega with an attitude too big for his own good, giving shit to some towering Alpha brute who could probably (maybe) have him on his knees and at his mercy in seconds if he wanted to.

And Eren just smirked at him, cheeky and knowing. “I’d give it a red hot go.”

Eren wasn’t that sort of Alpha, though. He wasn’t violent. He wasn’t quick to anger about a lot of things. He wasn’t one to use physical strength against one weaker than him, either.

That didn’t matter, though, when Eren had already had Levi on his knees and at his mercy in other ways. And that didn’t require any violence at all, or if it did then it was an encouraging kind of violence – the sort that overwhelmed Levi’s stubborn defiance and soothed him into trusting submission.

“Bring it, Alpha. I can take you.” Levi had lost almost all venom in his tone.

His traitorous mind was wandering to other places. Less decent places not at all related to this initially challenging conversation.

Eren’s eyes flicked up and down Levi’s form quickly, sizing him up as the brunet grinned. “Don’t I know it?”

“Hoh? He admits it? Well, well, well, aren’t you in a humouring mood today.”

He couldn’t have missed the shift in Levi’s scent, aggression easing away to be replaced by something sweeter, something wanting. The Alpha wouldn’t push, though; he knew better than to point out the obvious and if Levi wanted to seek out physical comfort he would do it on his own terms.

Eren only grinned at him, lazy and knowing. “Aren’t I always?”

Levi gave a wry snort, slinking across the kitchen towards the waiting Alpha. Throwing his arms casually around Eren’s waist, the raven tilted his head up at the brunet.

“From what I just heard, you’d sooner fight me than come and stand by me while I tear into that little Omega hussy.” Levi accused, arching an eyebrow as if to dare Eren to argue.

“Stand by you and what? Protect you? I’d be more worried about what you could do to her than the other way round.” The brunet said back.

Eren’s argument, if it could be called that, was remarkably flattering and Levi had to commend his Alpha on knowing exactly the kinds of things to say to appease his riled Omegan instincts.

Levi refused to purr, he’d already done that today and it had been embarrassing enough the one time. But he did lean into Eren a little, pleased when the action earned him a pair of hands settling on his hips.

“But does _she_ know that?”

The forever nameless ‘she’. Levi knew he was being ridiculous. Most of his anger at the situation was gone in favour of, sheepish as he was to admit it, seducing his Alpha.

Not even an issue. Levi knew that Eren had long-since been seduced; the big dope had been smitten for years now. And yet still, despite knowing that, on an instinctual level Levi was worried about competition where there was none. All because of some stupid, monthly hormone overdrive.

“Hey.” Eren’s voice caught his attention and fingers under the Omega’s chin directed Levi’s gaze upwards. “You’re worrying for nothing again.”

Levi frowned but he couldn’t argue. He huffed. “I know.”

“It’s okay.”

Eren smiled with fondness, bringing his hands up to the sides of Levi’s face for a moment, moving them down lower so that Levi wouldn’t get rowdy at the blatant affection. The brunet brushed his thumbs up and down the sides of Levi’s throat instead, the touch skimming over the raven’s scent glands on with each stroke. When Levi began to show signs of settling, leaning into the Alpha’s touch, Eren spoke again.

“Look, you don’t even know her name,” he mentioned, then added, “hell _I_ don’t even know her name. I don’t give a shit about some giggly little store clerk.” Eren dropped his arms to Levi’s waist again, knowing that it sometimes pacified the raven to feel the familiar hold there. “C’mon, babe.”

Eren implored with his quiet tone and big, pleading eyes, stepping in close to Levi despite the raven’s currently crossed arms and reluctant expression.

It was an accepting kind of reluctance, though, so Eren held out hope.

“Don’t.” Levi scrunched up his nose, closing his eyes to escape Eren’s pleading gaze. “With the ‘babe’ and that tone of voice.” The raven only complained because he knew he’d lost already. He opened his eyes again and immediately rolled them. “Stop it. Don’t grin at me, moron.”

Eren did not stop grinning. The big twerp probably couldn’t have helped the reaction if he’d tried. And he wasn’t trying. Eren thought that every little win was like achieving victory in some great battle; there was always a reason to celebrate with him.

Even something as simple as easing one of Levi’s moods was a triumph for the Alpha and Levi let Eren have his little moments of celebration.

Especially when it earned him these quiet moments of happy nuzzles and quick, peppered kisses.

Levi started nipping back when he’d had enough, chasing the Alpha’s affections away with wordless threats through rowdy little displays. He’d bitten Eren’s tongue once before when he hadn’t gotten the message and backed off quick enough and the Alpha knew better than to try his Omega’s patience now. Eren chuckled, stealing one last peck before he backed off.

“Don’t be mad.” Eren encouraged, smirking at the huff his words earned him. He nudged Levi with his hip, coaxing the Omega back into the kitchen. “You go get started on your tea marathon and I’ll bring in everything from the car. Yeah?”

Levi conceded. “Yeah.”

 

Peace in the house, at long last. The scent of riled Omega was fading fast and Levi tried to ignore the very obvious scents that Eren was emitting in an attempt to keep the raven calm.

If anything it was the thought that counted.

Levi went about preparing two cups, one for himself and one for Eren, while the Alpha brought their purchases in from the car. Plastic bags accumulated by the door to the kitchen. When Eren entered with the last bag he got a mug thrust under his nose, accepting the steaming drink with a grateful hum. Ducking passed with a quick kiss to the Omega’s cheek, Eren raided the sugar bowl.

Eren didn’t really drink tea, didn’t like the way it tasted, but he knew how Levi’s little tea rituals went. He just wanted someone to sit in the living room with him while he fumed in silence over the day’s injustices. There was just enough caffeine in the stuff to act as a morning pick-me-up but not enough to make it impractical to drink at night. Out of all Levi’s habits, this one was the simplest. Not as commanding as his need to scrub the floors every weekend or so, nor as expensive as his need to shower at least twice a day. Just a simple, hot drink and a bit of peace and quiet. So Eren let Levi pull him into the little habit. If anything it was another moment to bond and while the raven sat thinking he could hopefully settle into his new home. With enough sugar it wasn’t so bad and Levi pretended not to see the four and a half teaspoons that Eren dumped into his mug.

Levi had already drifted into the living room, silent as a thief, and Eren trotted after him once the sugar in his drink was thoroughly stirred in.

The raven was perched in one of Eren’s armchairs with his knees pulled up under his chin. Teacup held by the rim in one hand, the other curled around his knees; Levi sipped idly and looked about the room with a cynical gaze. Judging the order of the room, whether Eren had cleaned recently, how good a job he had done. Always conscious of his surroundings.

It had changed the way Eren had lived, bit by bit. He noticed. Bad habits were trained out, like leaving dirty dishes around or not throwing out empty pizza boxes or takeaway containers right away. Making the bed each morning. Keeping up a regular laundry schedule – clothes that went on the floor could easily be thrown at his face if found by a wandering Levi – and, heaven forbid, even organising washing piles into colours, blacks, and whites.

At least that meant there would be no more mysterious pink shirts and socks turning up after laundry day. The drama department at Eren’s old school would no doubt mourn the random donations, although they probably just used the ruined shirts for arts and crafts.

Eren took a seat on the sofa, sensing that his Omega wanted a little space otherwise he would have headed to the sofa himself.

Grey eyes flitted over to him, taking in the brunet, before he looked away again. Eren saw the sigh he gave more than he heard it.

“It’s not you.” Levi said, looking in Eren’s direction again.

Ah. Still unsettled, then.

Levi had been this way for the past few days, getting used to the idea of a new residence, preparing to nest. The change wasn’t good for him after being involved in his routines for so long. Breaking habits was hard for anyone.

Eren understood and he wasn’t offended by Levi’s current distance.

The Alpha smiled. He knew he wasn’t the problem. There wasn’t really a real problem, per se; Levi just had to get used to the idea of living in a house with his Alpha. It seemed so different now that he wasn’t just dropping by or spending a night or two. This was Levi’s home now as much as it was Eren’s.

It would just take a little getting used to.

Levi huffed, turning his head to look out the window – harsh features backlit by the equally harsh light from outside. He tapped the fingernails of one hand against his cup, a muted, rhythmic plinking; yet another manifestation of Levi’s troubled instincts.

Another huff.

“I’ll be more settled after my heat’s passed.” Levi said, partly to Eren and partly to himself.

The brunet nodded, unsure if Levi could even see the action, and he downed his tea in a few, slow gulps. Across the room the raven took much smaller sips of his own drink. Eren set his cup down, careful to place it on one of the little coasters and not directly onto the tabletop.

He didn’t need another reason to set off one of Levi’s cleaning sprees. The raven didn’t need to be any more frantic so close to his heat.

“We’ve been managing living together on and off for a while now and neither of us has tried to kill the other.” Eren said with a shrug. “I think we’ll be fine.”

Levi gave a noncommittal hum, taking a longer mouthful of his tea and closing his eyes. His free hand crept up to his face, fingers rubbing at the bridge of his nose in what Eren had learned was a sign of either frustration or reluctant acceptance.

He wondered which it was this time.

“I wish you were less approachable.” The raven said after a long moment of considering silence. “Or less attractive.” He added.

Definitely frustration, Eren decided.

He indulged the odd turn in the (albeit stunted) conversation.

“Or both?” Eren suggested, grinning over at Levi.

The Omega didn’t see his expression, still sitting with his eyes shut. Eren tended to just play along when Levi got tired and complain-y, letting the raven get his thoughts out of his mind and his worries off his chest.

Levi was a quiet creature. Quiet and observant until he couldn’t be quiet anymore. And when those moments of release needed to happen, Eren was there.

“Both,” Levi agreed, letting his head tip back against the back of the chair, “definitely both.”

Strange, Eren thought, but he’d wait it out. There was always a point to these quiet moments of seemingly rambled statements. All he had to do was wait, ask the right questions, give Levi enough time.

“So…” he tried to reason, picking at Levi’s words to try and find where he was going with this, “you want a mate who’s a standoffish bozo with an ugly mug?”

Levi snapped a finger in Eren’s direction, giving an affirmative nod. “Yes.”

An amused scoff escaped the brunet in his surprise. “Thanks, babe.”

Opening his eyes at last, Levi turned his grey gaze on the Alpha. “At least there wouldn’t be Omegas and Betas ready to swarm all over you first chance they got.”

The last of a lingering, Omegan insecurity. At least it was coming out instead of being allowed to fester.

Eren brought his arms up, holding them out in invitation and hoping that Levi’s stubbornness would yield.

He didn’t have to worry, though, because the raven moved almost instantly. He slid out of the armchair, placing his cup down on the coffee table and stepping over it in a rare moment of need. Need for comfort, for reassurance.

And Eren was all too happy to provide that for him. He welcomed Levi into his arms, pulling the raven against his chest while the Omega curled himself close.

Levi sought out the scent gland on the left side of Eren’s throat, nudging the Alpha’s head to the side, and he bit down over the area with a little growl. Eren stiffened at the rough treatment but he let Levi have his way. Even this harsh stimulation was more than enough to draw out the Alpha’s scent, the Omega’s bite not breaking the skin, and Levi shoved his own throat against the scent-wetted skin.

Hands crept up, one arm thrown casually over the Omega’s waist, the other stroking firmly along his back.

And finally Levi relaxed. His whole body went lax and he slumped over Eren with a weary exhale. One arm strewn over the edge of the sofa, the other over Eren’s shoulder, breathing slow and deep. Better.

“That’s it.” Eren murmured, low and encouraging, as he turned his head enough to kiss the shell of Levi’s ear.

“You’re like some kind of puppy.” Levi accused, unmoving, his face out of sight somewhere over Eren’s shoulder. “I can’t go anywhere with you without some princess wanting a fucking hug. It’s exhausting.”

Another kiss was planted on the side of Levi’s head, dark strands of hair tickling Eren’s face.

“That’s why I bring you along with me when I go places.” He said, mostly joking.

The raven growled at him for that, turning enough to bite at his ear.

“Glad my resting bitch face is useful for something.” Levi grumbled.

“You call it resting bitch face, I call it your permanent, irresistible aura.” Eren purred, sliding cheeky hands down the raven’s back to grab at his ass.

An amused sound left the raven but he swatted Eren’s hands away.

“You’re so full of shit.” Levi accused, aiming a half-flailed smack to the Alpha’s arm. “What about when I’m not with you? Do you fall back on your anti-charms? Or are you incapable of being rude to people?”

“I tell people that I’m mated to the Omega son of a Mafia boss.” The brunet said with a single nod.

At this, Levi gave a snort. “You know I don’t keep in touch with that side of the family anymore.”

The raven’s tone was dry but Eren couldn’t work out whether that was with amusement or seriousness. The brunet paused until the raven leaned back to look at him. Grey eyes narrowed, silent and questioning, waiting for the Alpha to ask whatever was on his mind.

Eren squinted. “I can never tell if you’re joking about that or not.”

Levi stared him down for a bit and he shrugged.

“Truth is no one knows what old man Kenny does for a living,” Levi admitted, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was Mafia.”

“You’ll have to ask one day.” Eren suggested, seeking out one of the Omega’s hands to bring up to his mouth.

Levi watched him with a little frown, rolling his eyes as the brunet pressed kisses to each of his knuckles.

“Maybe. If I ever see him again.” The raven said. He gave a scoff. “If I don’t try to punch his lights out first.”

The old, Ackerman way: hit first, ask questions later. Levi supposed they might seem like an odd and violent bunch, especially when put together, but it was just their way. Rough-edged, not taking shit from anyone.

“I’ll be sure to hold him still for you.” Eren said, quiet.

Levi appreciated the unspoken promise in the Alpha’s words – a quiet assurance that Eren wouldn’t let his Omega stand alone. Not that the raven needed protection; he could take perfectly good care of himself if it came to a fight.

Knowing that he didn’t have to resort to violence, though, was strangely reassuring. Levi was no stranger to a fist fight, had experienced his fair share of unpleasant situations during his youth. Having someone to stand up for him felt…weird.

It felt wrong to even think of letting someone else stand in the way of threats aimed at him, but Eren wasn’t the kind of person to let him fight his fights alone.

Good Alphas, the really good ones, were hard to come by. And they could be a pain in the ass.

The thought wasn’t even a bitter one.

“Oh?” Levi leaned his forehead against Eren’s, lowering his lids to tease. “Going to indulge my bad habits, are you?”

Eren blinked up at him, eyes searching. “If the situation calls for it.”

Levi could see the Alpha thinking, analysing whether his Omega was looking for assurance or just attention. It was all over his face, in his tone. Eren’s voice was completely serious, promising support. His eyes were knowing, picking up on the way Levi’s tone had changed and the press of his body. Despite the teasing waft of a wanting Omega rising in the air and the slow betrayal of Eren’s body responding to Levi’s need, the Alpha chose to pursue their conversation.

_If the situation calls for it._

Eren was ready for either situation, standing in the way of violence or indulging…other habits.

Nicer ones. The kind of things he’d had to actively try for until Eren had come blundering into his life. Eren was the only person Levi had had twice. And thrice. And enough times after that Levi hadn’t bothered to count. Good, healthy human contact. No more sleazy guys, drunk or worse, on late nights that Levi would just creep away from in the early morning hours. Eren gave Levi more than a quick fuck. He gave Levi whatever the Omega needed and that distinction was important. Not what Levi wanted, but what he needed. No one had ever bothered with that, reading him enough to look past the demands or reassurances of “I’m fine” or “don’t bother”. Looking past the harsh exterior and sharp, ‘fight me’ glares to find the traces of insecurity that hid in the tense set of Levi’s shoulders and the rapid movement of grey eyes that tracked every little movement.

Too aware for his own good, sometimes. Too rough for an Omega, too quick to temper to please any Alpha. Not a lot of Alphas appreciated one’s ability to kick their ass in a fight.

Nowadays Levi had himself an Alpha that not only appreciated an Omega with such skills, but found it hilarious too.

Goddamned, loveable moron.

Despite the rough start in life, Levi was glad for his upbringing in a way. Barely anyone was raised to defend themselves like every day could be their last, but Levi had been. Kenny had been tough to love, but he’d looked out for his nephew, taught him how to take care of himself should anyone try to take advantage of his dynamic.

If Levi ever did see his uncle again he’d have to remember to tell the man that normal people weren’t as untrustworthy as the kinds of people that they had been around during Levi’s younger years.

Nevertheless…the raven appreciated what he’d been taught, despite a lot of other things he didn’t appreciate quite so much. Mild anxiety, for one. Zero social skills, for two. And an instant suspicion of anyone who approached him at night in the middle of a deserted street.

No one had told Eren that. He’d learned his lesson well, though.

 “How about right now?” Levi tried again, giving a purposeful roll of his hips. “Going to indulge me, Alpha?”

“Always.”

The first kiss was more forceful than Levi had intended but Eren didn’t hesitate for more than a second or two before he gave back with equal intensity. As it turned out, neither of the two had realised how worked up the raven had become. Another reason why pre-heat was a shitty time to be leaving the house.

Hands gripped to get closer and searched for required items with equal intensity. Something clinked on the coffee table but neither male turned to see what had been knocked over, feeling around for the drawer handles underneath where there should be...

Levi was the first to snag hold of the bottom drawer handle, this one assigned to store ‘emergency supplies’ that were essentially there to make spontaneous living room sex less of an ordeal to clean up after.

Eren was broken out of his playful groping of Levi’s ass to have a little foil packet shoved into his hands. The Alpha whined in protest, going mostly ignored by the Omega who had turned to rummage around for the tube of lube that seemed to have fallen over and rolled to the back of the drawer. Under normal circumstances they wouldn’t need to bother with added lubricant as a properly aroused Omega could easily provide enough slick for a comfortable experience. But in these unplanned, more rushed situations it was better to be safe rather than sorry.

A grumbling Eren shifted about on the sofa beneath Levi, tugging at buttons and fly on his jeans and managing to yank both pants and boxer briefs down far enough to free himself. Once Levi’s heat kicked in there would be no need for condoms or care not to make much mess.

For now, though, the Omega would not stand for getting semen on the sofa.

Levi, noticing his Alpha’s hesitation, bit at Eren’s shoulder to hurry him along. The raven’s fingers were already busy smearing cold lube around puckered skin, warming before pushing inside. Biting still and ignoring the brief discomfort, Levi gave a low growl until he heard the tear of foil. Eren’s hope of having his Omega raw was dashed and, finally, he rolled on the condom.

A low, encouraging murmur passed from Levi’s mouth as he released his bite, a quiet “good boy” spoken into Eren’s ear.

The Alpha rumbled back at him, chasing Levi’s mouth with nipping kisses. Big hands closed over the raven’s hips, sliding over the swell of Levi’s ass to press fingertips against his rim, already straining around three slender fingers.

Levi slapped the Alpha’s teasing hands away, directing them back over to the drawer. Eren took the hint with a sigh, reaching over to find the other box of condoms. These were for Levi, another way to ease the process of clean-up, and the first attention the raven got to his throbbing length were Eren’s fingers guiding protective latex over him. Different from any Alpha-specific form of protection; Omega’s didn’t produce anywhere near as much semen as Alphas did. That was another reason why Eren got so moody whenever Levi made him wear one – an Alpha’s seed belonged in its mate and Eren’s instincts rankled at the thought of not being able to mark his Omega deep inside.

“Quit sulking.” The raven ordered, shimmying his hips to assist Eren’s free hand in pushing the Omega’s pants further down his legs.

Levi kicked the garment free with a little, frustrated growl.

Eren kept a steadying hand clasped around the raven’s hip while he squirmed and settled back into place. Levi ducked to kiss him again in appreciation, sucking the Alpha’s lower lip into his mouth to stop him from pouting.

He pulled back to protest anyway.

“You know we could just get out the protector to toss over the sofa? It’d be much simpler-”

Eren was cut off by another biting peck, silenced by rough affection.

“Too long.” Levi argued between kisses. “I haven’t disinfected it yet.”

A whine left the Alpha and he tipped his head back with a sigh.

“We literally just bought it.” He reminded the raven. “It hasn’t even come out of the packaging yet.”

Levi levelled him with a slitted glare. “If you think that’s an excuse not to clean something I’ll have to smack you.”

The Omega smacked him anyway, open palm to the shoulder.

Eren rolled his eyes. “Some towels, then?”

Ever hopeful to escape having to don a rubber; Eren blinked his big, puppy dog eyes up at unimpressed silvers.

“Stop complaining,” Levi muttered, prodding the Alpha between the eyes, “or you’ll be straight on the floor and I’ll fuck myself.”

Eren growled at the thought but cut off the sound when he was met with a look of challenge from Levi. His little threat was not empty; Levi wouldn’t hesitate to send the brunet sprawling to the carpet if the Alpha misbehaved. Stretching up, Eren made it his mission to kiss Levi’s frown away. An affectionate apology – one that the teal-eyed Alpha was well used to giving. When words weren’t necessary, actions followed through. Repentant kisses were pressed to the raven’s mouth, thin lips turned ever-so-slightly down to match the unimpressed glower in grey eyes. Levi let the Alpha placate him, though, and with a guiding hand he coaxed Eren to replace delving fingers with his own.

The first two were easy, thicker than his own but better for it. The third stung a little but Eren never seemed to mind the way Levi would bite into his shoulder until the burn subsided. Thankfully Eren knew the golden rule of out-of-heat sex: lube, lube, and more lube.

A grateful kiss from the raven communicated his thanks. The steady and sensual dance of his tongue against Eren’s distracted him from the brief tweaks of discomfort as long fingers worked him open, delving in, twisting and stretching. The pressure promised more to come. Heat stirred in the Omega’s belly, settling there, slow and warm and pleasant. It sneaked along his veins, left his skin hot and crept up his shaft. If Levi lined their bodies up right he could get the most wonderful pressure against his cock, lying neglected and needy between them. Friction escaped him in the latex covering but he wouldn’t need that once Eren hurried along and got to actually fucking him.

Levi shied away from a curious fourth finger. Eren opened his mouth, probably planning to ask the raven if he was sure that three would be enough, but whatever he had intended to say was lost to the quick press of Levi’s lips. Tired of words, pleading for action. He rolled his hips forwards to let the brunet know he was as ready as he needed to be, but Eren spared a few moments more chasing the raven’s prostate. Smirking at the way the Omega’s thighs shook, swallowing his surprised gasp. Allowed air again, Levi’s half-formed protests escaped in words too breathy to be understood and Eren only chuckled against the Omega’s jaw. Panted breaths puffed by the Alpha’s ear, warm air fanning over the shell and shifting strands of hair.

“Stop it, you cheeky mutt.” Levi managed to get the words out by Eren’s ear, trying to get his shaky breathing under better control.

A nudge of Eren’s chin had him kissing the Alpha again only to nip at his tongue as pleasure assaulted the Omega from within again.

A fist thumped lightly against the Alpha’s chest finally got Eren to pause and meet the raven’s eyes. The grey orbs were as defiant as ever but they pleaded all the same. Just as Levi’s mouth pleaded, first through affection pressed against Eren’s skin in soft, imploring kisses, and then with words, quiet in the air between them.

“If I wanted your fingers I would have asked for them.”

The way Levi pleaded was different than anything Eren had ever heard, but he admired the strength Levi had in asking for anything at all and the Alpha in Eren was tamed in the face of that strength. Levi didn’t ask for things. He dealt with his own shit because that’s how survival worked when you’d been on your own for so long. Eren’s frazzled, rough-around-the-edges Omega was strong.

And now Levi was learning to allow himself to be weak.

No words sprung to mind for the Alpha to say, so he didn’t bother saying anything at all. He stretched upwards, seeking Levi’s mouth, and the raven met him halfway to receive a wanting kiss.

The sound Levi made into the kiss, frustrated and longing, was enough to bring Eren to cease his teasing. He removed slick fingers from the Omega to replace them with something more.

Something that was throbbing for any attention at all by this point.

While one hand was busy slicking his cock for entry, Eren ran his free hand up along Levi’s thigh to pay the Omega’s length some attention. Levi sat up, hands planted over the Alpha’s chest, uncaring of the clothes that still barred him from the tanned skin just below wrinkling cotton. Eyes closing as Eren’s fingers curled around him to squeeze, hand big enough to engulf him so that just the tip peeked out from a tunnel of tanned digits.

Heat kissed Levi’s slickened entrance, pressure from the head of Eren’s cock threatening to breach him. Grey eyes fluttered open, meeting low-lidded teal, and Levi settled himself back down in a lazy sprawl over his Alpha. Arms crept over Eren’s shoulders, a hand snaked into his hair to guide the Alpha’s head forward as if to kiss, but Levi waited as their mouths met. Just a brush of skin, a teasing, barely-there contact.

Levi watched Eren the whole time. From that first push inside, the immediate, overwhelmed stillness of Levi tensing around the fat cockhead that kept his rim strained, all the way through the slow and almost pained groan of Eren pressing forward and bottoming out. The Alpha let his head tip back, Adam’s apple dipping in his throat as he swallowed a few times, and Levi licked fondly at the column of Eren’s throat. They took a moment, breathing deep, to let the Omega’s body adjust and accept the intrusion, to enjoy the intimacy of the quiet closeness. When Eren hummed out a tortured note, Levi could feel the vibrations through the flesh under his tongue. He started up a quiet, rolling purr in response to the sound, quietly grooming his Alpha while the brunet maintained a harsh grip on the raven’s hips.

The raven had Eren’s mouth again before the brunet’s first thrust, slow to begin with and experimental as he sought an angle that Levi would like. Levi didn’t much care. He knew that it was harder for Eren to experiment with a limited range of movement, and the Omega took charge of rolling his hips back into the gentle, rocking motion that Eren provided. Levi arched his back to get his abdomen against Eren’s belly and ground his cock there for extra stimulation.

With Eren’s scent and skin and presence all around him, Levi felt the stresses of the day begin to fade. They would no doubt return after this brief interlude of passion but for that moment all Levi could register was sensation. There was heat in his belly. The heavy throb of Eren’s cock splitting his ass open with every languid thrust only added to the pleasant distraction. Levi almost wished that he’d taken that fourth finger now, feeling the hot pressure inside him. Not quite uncomfortable, but he felt full to bursting nonetheless.

Perfect. Although the raven was sure that he wouldn’t be able to take Eren’s knot without a lot more prep. He wasn’t particularly worried about that, though; Eren only really lost himself to the urge to knot when he was in rut, and a single, Omegan yelp would be enough to break Eren out of any instinctual haze.

Eren’s hands travelled over Levi’s skin where it was bared for him. Fingertips teased the glands on the Omega’s thighs and once the little areas of skin wetted with scent Eren rubbed the glands on his wrists against them. Mid-sex foreplay, he supposed. It would also help to ease Levi’s frazzled instincts and let the raven know that his Alpha’s only interest lay in him. Levi would still be pissed at him for activating his glands when the plan was not to make a mess. Thankfully secreted scent didn’t stain; it just had a very strong smell. At this stage, that would only help to establish this as Levi’s new home and hopefully encourage him to nest.

In a rare moment of playfulness, Levi caught Eren’s tongue between his teeth. He coaxed the wet muscle into his mouth but otherwise let the brunet lead the kiss where he would.

Slow, searching kisses slipped into thoughtless mouthing along jawlines and nipping with lazy teeth. Eren nuzzled his Omega, bringing their throats together to feel the slick slide of their activated scent glands, something that neither male could help under the circumstances. Intimacy on a physical level brought out reactions that neither partner had any control over.

Levi could feel his thighs begin to tremble, the slow coil of bliss in his belly boiling higher. The beautiful thing about an Alpha’s cock was that most were thick enough that the prostate was under constant, gentle pressure with each thrust. With the added swell of the head brushing past, Levi didn’t even have to work hard for his pleasure. He could feel himself twitching for release already, wanting to squirm and throw himself onto his back and just let Eren fuck the ever-loving shit out of him. He rolled his hips faster instead, responding to an increase in pace from the Alpha below him. Eren must have been quickly approaching climax too.

Working to make each thrust shallower, Levi fought to get Eren’s cockhead brushing against his prostate. He found an angle that worked, committed to it, and with a shocked gasp he came. His hips ground down against Eren’s stomach, instinctively chasing his pleasure, and with a few throbs he filled the condom encasing his twitching length.

Eren made a pleasured noise, feeling the Omega tighten around him, but the Alpha didn’t climax. He froze, recognising that Levi had cum and not wanting to push him into overstimulation.

Levi bit back laughter, biting at his lower lip when he caught the look of shock on the brunet’s face.

Eren seemed surprised. He blinked and swallowed and gave a little frown, fighting the urge to pound into the Omega above him. Levi kind of wanted to laugh in his face, but for the moment he couldn’t speak. He flopped against the Alpha’s chest and gave himself a brief, quiet moment of post-orgasm laziness before reaching over to look for wet-wipes in the bottom drawer.

He waited, fighting a smirk, for whatever Eren would break the silence with.

“Are we going to pretend that didn’t happen?” Eren asked after a moment, bemused, as Levi peeled off his condom and ran a wipe over himself as a secondary measure.

The raven blinked up at him and managed to almost grin.

“You mean am I going to ignore your boner?” He chuckled and raised his hips, still a little shaky, until the Alpha slipped free.

Eren almost whined, panting instead while the Omega cleaned himself up as best he could before setting the wipes away. He rolled off of the Alpha and managed to stand, wincing a little but looking pleased all the same.

Levi stretched, still pant-less, and took one look in the brunet’s direction before he laughed. Leaning down, the raven picked up his pants and underwear from the floor, turning to bend and peck his pouting Alpha.

“Come on.” He murmured, lips playful against Eren’s mouth. The raven padded past the sofa and headed for the bathroom, calling after Eren over his shoulder. “There’s no need for clean-up in the shower.”

That did the trick. Eren perked up instantly, scrambling after Levi and already hopping about to get out of his clothes. He stumbled about, wrestling pants and socks and briefs, and it made for a fairly ridiculous sight.

Levi clicked his tongue at the Alpha’s enthusiasm, but it was an amused sound. “I should have known that was the key to get you into the shower.”

“I shower.” Eren defended, his voice muffled by the shirt he was busy trying to yank over his head.

Levi tugged at the material to help the brunet, smirking when his head popped free.

“Not nearly enough.” The raven chided, making his way carefully along in case his legs decided to give out.

“Hey, once a day is ‘enough’.” Eren argued, fighting back an urge to stick his tongue out at the other male. “Just because _you_ shower at least twice a day doesn’t make that normal for everyone else.”

Levi gave a snort of amusement. “Filthy mutt.”

“Not all of us are addicted to soap.” Eren countered.

“Shut up, or you can deal with your own dick.”

“Shutting up.”

“Good boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so productive today, yo. Two assessments done and a fic updated. Hell yes!
> 
> Continuation should be next chapter, with le shower smut (because I can't just skip shower smut, psht) and then Levi's got to find a place for his stuff in Eren's place. No idea when that'll be done, though, because it's a miracle I even got this chapter done. Procrastinating assessments = fic updates. Bad author. Bad.
> 
> On another note, if anyone wants to see something specific or has a question about the omegaverse that they would like explained, let me know either through a comment here or an ask/message on [tumblr](http://haberkonium.tumblr.com/) ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

Eren endured the slightly rougher treatment that was Levi’s quick yet efficient cleaning process. The raven personally saw to it that Eren was spotless before he would even consider putting his mouth anywhere near the Alpha’s needy cock.

But once he was finally satisfied with the state of Eren’s skin, now both germ and sud free, Levi wasted no time dropping to his knees and herding his Alpha back against the cold tiles. Eren growled at the treatment until a pale hand smacked his thigh. His apology never made it past his lips, though – the sound strangled itself when Levi closed his mouth around the brunet’s tip and sucked. An experimental beginning, almost teasing for the raven. He drew back, slowly, until the member popped free of his lips. Twice more Levi repeated the action, waiting for Eren’s imploring whine to sound. When it reached the raven’s ears at last, he brought up both hands to curl around the Alpha’s length, making up for what would not be going in his mouth.

Levi didn’t let the Alpha’s size deter him, but he didn’t try to choke himself either. Brows furrowing in concentration, Levi went to work. The Omega took what he could into his mouth, generously worshipping the throbbing flesh with a soft tongue, and his hands more than made up for what his throat refused to take. Trained gag reflex or no, there were some things that just weren’t meant to be and Levi knew for a fact that the entirety of an Alpha’s cock was not meant to be rammed down his throat.

Sure, it might have been possible. Comfortable? Not so much. But he’d make do with what he was capable of.

Eren growled his appreciation, pleased by the raven’s enthusiasm. Despite his amusement at their earlier situation, Levi threw himself into the task of coaxing an orgasm out of the Alpha. Maybe that was because Levi was eager to remain on his knees for as short a time as possible but Eren wasn’t about to complain about his mate’s methods.

Eren’s job was simple: keep fucking still.

He did his best, valiantly refraining from grabbing at the kneeling Omega or shoving him back to fuck his throat raw. The urge was tempting, but Eren shoved it aside. If he was a literal dick about it, Levi would have no problem ending the experience with his teeth. He probably wouldn’t have a problem revoking any and all blowjob rights for the foreseeable future, so the brunet wouldn’t risk it.

He let Levi work his magic instead, tipping his head back to rest it against the tiles behind him. And work Levi did, head shifting to try new angles and give his tongue access to different spots of the dick currently straining his lips. One hand slid back, abandoning its partner to cup the hot weight of Eren’s balls while his tongue curled around the Alpha’s crown. He tongued the slit and took slow moments to pay a special, wet worship to the hypersensitive patch of skin right under Eren’s cockhead.

It was always that spot that got to the Alpha.

Hands found their way into doused, black locks – Eren couldn’t help it – but the Alpha was careful not to tug at the inky strands that slipped through his fingers. He dug the pads of his fingers into the Omega’s scalp instead, massaging in silent praise.

His Levi was so, so good to him.

Levi’s tongue found that hypersensitive spot again, finding a quick rhythm back and forth, and Eren felt his lower body tighten in readiness. Shit. He could never last long once Levi had made up his mind to go all in. The raven hollowed his cheeks, locking eyes with Eren when the Alpha looked down to watch his impending climax. Tremors started to settle into his legs and Eren’s panting turned into gasping breaths as he pulled in air like a drowning man.

Feeling the length in his mouth throb hotly, Levi leaned back and kept stroking, one hand pumping Eren for all he was worth while the other pressed firm strokes against the skin behind his Alpha’s sack.

Eren jerked and Levi aimed his throbbing dick at his mouth and waited.

The first rope painted the raven’s pink tongue white, a second and third not quite making it inside the waiting cavern and catching Levi’s lips instead.

Eren watched through glassy, sated eyes, a deep groan stirring in his chest at the sight his Omega made.

Mouth open and lips lazy, Levi didn’t even try to take all of the Alpha’s seed. He caught what he could, letting it slide free of his mouth and drip down his chin onto his chest, bringing up fingers to rub the pearly substance over his skin. Grey eyes danced with mischief, holding the Alpha’s low-lidded stare the whole time.

Eren wondered if Levi did so just to torture him, just to make him crave the little Omega more, and his spent cock gave a brave twitch at the thought of round two.

Levi actually chuckled at the sight, giving one last tug to the softening member as he stood. He inspected the reddening marks on his knees while Eren panted, murmuring grateful nonsense. Another brief cleaning spree chased Eren right out of the shower, eager to get as far away from Levi’s less than gentle hands while his dick was still so sensitive. He towelled off while Levi gave himself another once over, determined to be spotless.

“How come you’re so good at that?” Eren wondered from beneath his towel, violently drying sopping strands of hair.

Levi, who had been midway through inspecting himself for any remaining traces of cum, glanced up with a raised eyebrow and earned himself an eyeful of water in the process.

“What?” The raven asked, wiping away excess moisture from his vision with his fingers. “Sucking dick?”

Eren’s head popped free of his towel which settled around his shoulders, his hair in wild disarray.

“Yeah.” The Alpha confirmed.

Levi gave a snort, turning back to turn the spray off as he answered. “Easy. You’re so horny that I’ve had a shit tonne of practice.”

From behind him came Eren’s dry laugh.

“Very funny.”

“He thinks I’m joking.” Levi muttered, mostly to himself and partly in teasing.

He hopped out of the shower, smacking a dripping palm against Eren’s exposed behind on his way past to get to the towel rack. Eren complained about just getting dry through his laughter, a complete lie as the only thing he’d attempted to dry was his hair.

“So what you’re saying,” Eren continued, making a grab for Levi’s hips as the Omega passed but not being quick enough, “is that you’re not good at sucking dick in the general sense,” he made quotation marks, “you’re just good at sucking my dick?”

Levi blinked at him. “Sure.”

Eren nodded to himself, although fuck knows why. Levi shook his head and snatched up a towel.

They dried and dressed in relative silence, swapping passing kisses and teasing grabs until both Alpha and Omega were fully clothed again. Eren trotted out of the bathroom while Levi hung up his towel. Then he straightened Eren’s towel where it had been tossed over the railing haphazardly so that it would dry evenly.

“I’m going to go get the grocery shopping done.” Eren called from down the hall, probably putting his shoes on if the scuffing sounds were any indication. His head poked around the corner of the doorway as Levi exited the bathroom. “You want to come with?”

Levi thought about it.

He shook his head no. “I think…I’ll try to find a place for all my shit.”

There was still proper unpacking to do – Levi couldn’t live out of his suitcase forever. Not if this was going to be his home. And he’d already showered now so going out again seemed redundant when he was relaxed.

And sore. His ass ached a bit, which wouldn’t be a problem if he was just lounging about at home. Going out and having to walk everywhere would probably get uncomfortable quickly.

Levi made his way to the bedroom, aware of Eren following along behind him like some gigantic puppy.

“You sure?” Eren asked, peering over Levi’s shoulder when the Omega paused to stoop over his suitcase at the end of Eren’s bed. _Their_ bed, Levi corrected mentally. “I could help out with that when I get back?”

Levi shook his head again. “No. I need to figure this shit out, see where I fit here. If you see something where it shouldn’t be when you get back, let me know.”

Hands crept over Levi’s shoulders and he found himself being turned around to face Eren. The Alpha looked at him somewhere between fondly and sternly.

“Won’t happen.” He assured the raven, almost smiling towards the end. “You put your things anywhere you like.”

Levi glanced away for a moment, letting himself come to grips with his new place and power in this house. He glanced back, looking up at Eren.

“Can I move stuff?” He asked.

“Sure.” Eren gave a one-shouldered shrug and grinned in that lopsided way he did that made Levi feel strangely giddy inside – like they were teenagers instead of adults dealing with adult problems. “I’m disorganised anyway, you’ll probably be helping out.”

“Thank you.” Levi said to the floor, quiet and grateful.

Eren kissed the raven on his forehead and left, heading off to collect groceries. He was on a special mission – attaining heat-specific foodstuffs that Levi would be able to consume easily throughout the coming days. The pair would probably spend the night preparing foods to minimise cooking time during the heat itself. Levi would be very edgy spending his heat in a new place and even now the raven knew he wouldn’t approve of Eren leaving him for any extended period of time.

Levi had planned ahead, though. Eren would go and gather all the ingredients they would need; meat, vegetables, plenty of foods that would be able to restore energy quickly. Later tonight Levi would cut up as much of the supplies as he needed and the food could then be blended into easily-consumable pastes and smoothies.

But that would happen later. For now, Levi had his unpacking to do.

He decided to work with their newly bought items first, padding back to the kitchen.

The mattress protector went straight in the wash – Levi wanted it properly clean before it was needed. He didn’t want to risk the distraction or irritation of a foreign scent in his nest while he was trying to imprint on the house, so all smells of the store and packaging would need to be washed away.

While the washing machine ran its cycle, Levi sorted through the rest of his new things.

It was strange to have so many heat essentials at once. The raven was used to having to choose between necessities and added comforts. In the past, actual birth control had often been sacrificed so that he could afford suppressants, as those would work to kill any drive Levi would have to find a mate. Having suppressants now was weird, no longer something he had to pick between, and the Omega had an odd urge to take them. He’d done so before, so often. Heats were a menace, uncomfortable and messy, and for a long time Levi had avoided them. He couldn’t now, though, because he really needed to like living in this house. Levi had been a creature of routine for a long time and if he couldn’t get comfortable out of his routine…life would be miserable.

One heat here, maybe two, and Levi was sure he would be able to settle. With Eren’s help, he could make his home here. Then he could go back to suppressing, get back to normal, and life wouldn’t be so stressful.

He focused back on the task at hand.

Levi organised his medication in the wall-mounted cabinet in Eren’s bathroom, right at the front so that the little bottles wouldn’t get hidden by other essentials. The slick pads went in the cupboard under the bathroom sink with the scent masking deodorants and spare air freshener cans to disperse Levi’s heat scent when it arrived. He placed the new packets of scent-blocking soap in there, too. He’d have to remember to take a bar to work with him next time he was actually heading in, after this whole heat mess had passed. Stacked along with the soap went the scent patches that had yet to be soaked in either Levi’s or Eren’s scents.

They could get that done after his heat had passed; Eren had promised not to leave for any reason while this particular heat passed as it was very important to the both of them.

Levi knew his instincts and how they would react should his Alpha leave during such a vulnerable time for him. New home, new things, new life to lead with Eren. With all that change going on, Levi would need a source of stability to keep him grounded and feeling safe.

That source would have to be Eren.

Levi’s instincts needed to recognise him as reliable, as trustworthy. Levi himself already knew that Eren was just about the most wonderful human being he would ever have the luck to meet, but an Omega’s instincts were not easily convinced.

Still, the raven was confident in his Alpha’s ability. Eren would do just fine in appeasing his inner Omega.

A ringing sound broke through Levi’s train of thought and he had to head back through the house after realising his phone wasn’t on him. When he did retrieve it from the living room Eren’s name was highlighted on the screen. He answered and made his way back to the kitchen.

“Yeah?”

“Hi, sorry.” Eren said.

He sounded a bit lost.

Levi got straight to the point. “What’s up?”

“I couldn’t find the oats?” Eren said it as a question and Levi snorted at him through the phone.

“Cereal aisle, dummy.”

No matter how many times they went over it, Eren always went to look for oats around the health food section. He complained that it was because Levi was always making shakes with the stuff. Levi reasoned that it was because Eren was, in point of fact, a moron. Loveable but hopeless in some areas.

Eren groaned through the phone, realising his mistake. Again.

“Sorry, ignore me.” Some shuffling. “Got ‘em. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Levi chuckled at him, rolling his eyes at Eren’s whiny muttering, “bring some meat home too.”

“Pre-sliced good enough? It’s the only thing besides the roast chicken that isn’t raw.”

“Yeah, the pre-sliced shit will do.”

“You sure?”

“Sure.” Levi shrugged, scratching idly at his stomach. “Just bung it in that blender thing your sister bought you; it’ll be fine. Paste is easy to digest, so even meat won’t upset my stomach if it’s in some weird-ass meal smoothie.”

Eren made a mildly grossed out noise.

“Won’t that taste kind of…nasty?” He asked.

Levi could imagine the exact face the brunet was making at the other end of the call.

“Probably.” He agreed, shrugging again. Not that Eren could see the action, but Levi liked to think that his tone conveyed pretty much the same effect. “You think I’m going to be complaining when I’m hungry? Hell no.”

“Okay, but for the record this was your idea.”

Levi scoffed. “Sure, of course.”

“I will remind you.”

“Mmhm.”

“Okay, byeeee-”

Levi’s thumb cut him off and the raven shook his head with a little smirk.

He made his way slowly towards the bedroom, pocketing his phone in case Eren needed some other help, loveable moron that he was. He sighed, standing in the doorway for a moment before entering. The feelings of reluctance in him were unexplainable, probably some tiny part of him screaming that there was still time to go back to what he knew. But what Levi knew was how to make it on his own. And as familiar as that life had been, it had still sucked.

So he sucked it up and knelt down by his suitcase to start pulling things out. Such a simple task in theory, but this was his time to carve out his place in this household. Find where he fit. Not that Levi had any problems with living out of a suitcase; he’d done it before – house hopping in particularly unpleasant times. But his clothes couldn’t live in there forever. He had to settle eventually and this was without a doubt the safest place that the raven had ever been offered to stay. Eren had made space in his room, clear out space in his shelves and drawers, all for Levi. The damned Alpha had made a space in his _life_ for Levi. The least he could do was give this whole thing an honest try.

Levi wanted to try, to fit in here. He was just anxious.

Better start now before he lost his nerve. He wouldn’t want Eren to come home to find him in a pile of strewn clothes, suffering a mild panic attack. Hands pulled out clothes in an initially numb effort. Levi took everything out, making sure to tidy any items that were in disarray. He laid his things out on the bed, organising shirts and pants and other items in their respective piles.

And then, repacking. His already folded clothes were arranged in the spaces provided. Shirts together in one drawer, pants in another, and underwear in a drawer that was all his own now. Alongside socks. Maybe three pairs in total.

Levi sighed. He really needed to invest in some new pairs. Ones that weren’t fraying in the toe area.

He had a scarce amount of clothing, just enough to get through the week and be able to do a load of washing on the weekend, sitting in the laundromat in his last pair of boxer briefs. Back before Levi had met Eren, he would usually look to pick up someone at the laundromat. There was a surprisingly good sort down there, the kind that were perfectly happy to take him out and buy him dinner. It was one of few times when Levi didn’t mind someone trying to buy their way into his pants. At least he’d gotten a good meal out of it.

Which had made meeting Eren an entirely new experience. For one there was someone who came back again and again with no promise of sex or even civil conversation.

Eren…had been a freaking weirdo on Levi’s radar. Now he knew better.

Eren was, more or less, normal. Levi had been the oddity.

Maybe he’d known that, too.

Moving on, a truly scary moment arrived for the raven. His toothbrush finally made it into Eren’s bathroom to stay. It still sat in a little canister on a shelf rather than joining Eren’s in the cup it sat in, but this was a good start. Just looking at it sitting there felt weird so Levi left it well enough alone, casting a last frown over his shoulder as he left.

He felt accomplished, somehow. There wasn’t much of a reason to feel that way but Levi had learned to celebrate the small victories.

Eren wasn’t back yet, so Levi stood and frowned through a mental list of things he might do to entertain himself. Midway through organising Eren’s room, he figured he was focusing less on entertaining and more on distracting. Being idle didn’t always sit well with him. Levi preferred to be busy, was used to a fairly packed schedule, but while he was settling into his new life and new home there was a considerable lack of things for him to do.

No job to go to, not while he was off his suppressants at least. A lot of time on his hands.

Levi’s current job, working as a personal trainer for certain clients at one of the local gyms, required the Omega to suppress when he knew his heats were coming around. The raven worked mostly with Omegas, as well as a few recovering Alphas, and it was usually best if his scent was under the proper control. He wasn’t particularly submissive and that could rankle even the kindest of Alphas. Even Eren had his moments of irritation at Levi’s stubbornness – he was learning to deal with it. Good thing, too, because Levi wouldn’t be taking any shit from him. He’d kicked his ass once and would do it again if necessary. To avoid confrontation, Levi made sure to have scent-blocking deodorant and quick-fix sprays in his locker at the gym. Better to avoid BO _and_ overpowering his clients with scent in one fell swoop. Two birds, one stone; that sort of thing. All of that could be managed. It wasn’t an issue.

Suppressing was probably the biggest commitment of the job.

He had worked out a system, though, where he only took the suppressants around a week before he knew his heat cycle would kick in. That way Levi could still avoid the heat and not stress out his system with daily doses. To substitute for non-daily doses, though, it meant that he had to buy the stronger pills.

Expensive, sure, but doable. He just hadn’t been able to afford birth control _and_ pay rent back before Eren had offered him a place in his home. Naturally the suppressants came first. This time around Levi had the birth control, but would not be taking the suppressants. Eren would help him through his first heat without suppressing in a while, the first and only other time they’d bothered doing so had been when the Omega had taken a huge sick leave in order to bond with his new and permanent Alpha.

Coming off of suppressants was rough the first few times. Levi wasn’t looking forward to it.

So Levi busied himself with picking up the various items of Eren’s clothing that found their way into nooks and crannies about the room. They all went into the hamper, which was carried to the laundry. The current cycle was done and Levi heaved the now-clean mattress protector out and dumped it in a basket. Setting the second load to go through – an assortment of blacks and coloured clothes – Levi headed out to the back of the house where a clothes line stood in a little, enclosed back yard. The protector went up, pegged securely into place to dry in the heat of the sun. Good. It would be able to go into a little space in one of Eren’s cupboards once it dried, ready to be put to use in the days ahead.

Back into the bedroom after that. Levi dug his way back through Eren’s drawers, scooping out clothes that had been haphazardly tossed in. He folded them all, wondering with no small amount of amusement what Eren would think when he opened any of these drawers and found them absent of their usual chaos.

No doubt the shock would be priceless.

Levi made the bed. Went to fold the shirt Eren used as a pyjama shirt before deciding that it, too, could do with a wash. Not to mention the fact that without the shirt just lying around Eren would no doubt choose to sleep without it and Levi was in sore need of a night of being spooned by his attractive, shirtless boyfriend. And the subsequent middle-of-the-night sex that would follow.

The bedroom was in order. More or less. Without going on a full, whole-house cleaning rampage, Levi headed for the kitchen to make himself another cup of tea and he was leaning against the kitchen counter when the front door opened again.

The shuffling of hands managing plastic bags and the door drifted down the hall, along with the scuffing of feet shucking their shoes. Levi was pouring hot water into a mug by the time Eren entered the kitchen, laying down bags of food and padding over to greet Levi with playful hands groping handfuls of his ass, a kiss planted on the side of his neck.

“Charming.” Levi muttered, stirring his drink.

Eren didn’t say anything, just laughed as he walked off again to retrieve whatever bags were still left in the car.

The steam rising off of Levi’s tea was a nice comfort and the raven turned to lean against the counter, breathing in the steam. He let the aroma soothe him, looking at the accumulated shopping. He could see vegetables. Some paper-wrapped deli meat. The boxes of oats. Levi smiled at the last one.

Eren came in again, a cardboard box over one shoulder. He set it down on the floor and rolled his shoulder.

Levi frowned, trotting over to inspect the new addition to the grocery pile. “What’s the box for?”

He didn’t remember adding ‘giant fucking box’ to their shopping list and naturally his curiosity was piqued by the sight of the unexpected goods.

“Hydralyte.” Eren answered, opening the flaps to reveal packaged bottles.

Levi blinked down at the crouching Alpha and let out a huffed breath. “I knew I’d forget something.”

But he smiled and bent to kiss Eren all the same. At least one of them had remembered to stock up on hydration assisting products. During heat, Omegas lost a lot of fluid. Producing slick alone could take it out of Omegas, not to mention the added effects of sweating and even spontaneous crying for some of the more emotional ones. Or in more extreme cases, vomiting. The more sensitive Omegas didn’t always respond well to certain kinds of food. Levi was grateful that he wasn’t one of the supersensitive Omegas out there, the kind who had to deal with frequent emotional crisis. The tiniest things could set them off. Levi did have his worries about going through his heat in a new place. With company.

He was probably going to cry at least once. Fuck.

Heats were, in no small way, a huge inconvenience and a general miserable time for Omegas.

It was a common strategy to stock up on water and food before a heat, but in more recent years there had finally been breakthroughs in products designed to keep Omegas properly hydrated during their heats. It was one way to keep their moods improved and their immune systems from dropping over the course of the heat.

Levi had thought he’d hated heat before, but he’d been dehydrated severely for one heat a few years back and he’d been sick for weeks afterwards. He had learned more explicitly then just how fragile an Omega could be.

He’d learned several years later than spending a heat with someone to take care of you, really take care of you, was a whole other experience entirely. And staying properly hydrated throughout a heat? It was, in no small way, amazing. His body didn’t ache nearly as much. There were no sudden headaches. He didn’t get as much nausea. And with the added bonus of one doting Alpha, heats were more than bearable.

Eren knelt on the floor, dusting his hands together like he was especially proud of himself.

“I got some of the sachet packets, too.” He informed Levi, glancing up over his shoulder at where Levi was standing just behind him. “Thought it might be nice to make some ice blocks for you so you can hydrate and cool off during heat spells.” The Alpha’s eyebrows rose up, lending him a rather cute hopeful look. “So am I a genius or what?”

Levi couldn’t deny it. He nodded before he spoke.

“You’re an absolute fucking genius,” Levi agreed, stepping closer to ruffle Eren’s hair, “I’ll admit it this once.”

The Alpha let his head tip back, leaning against Levi’s leg.

Eren practically thrummed at the praise and Levi, actually proud of his Alpha’s plan, even let the brunet nuzzle his hand.

“Put them in the pantry. Bottom shelf.”

"Mm, I love it when you organise my groceries." Eren teased.

Levi shoved his face with a dry snort. "Move it."

“You got it, boss.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think fuckward is a word...I may have made it up while thinking of 'dickwad' and 'fuckwit'.
> 
> Anyway, feedback is welcome, as are questions. Seriously, if you have something to ask about this fic or the omegaverse in general, go for it. Drop a comment, I don't bite. I like this trope and I'm keen to answer questions and include as much as I can in this fic about omegaverse elements, even those things that tend to get skipped over (like ALL THAT LANDRY, YO).
> 
> Hope this was an okay first chapter and I look forward to writing more.


End file.
